The present invention relates to a technique for use in the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, and, more particularly, to a technique that can be effectively applied to electrical inspection of semiconductor integrated circuits in a semiconductor wafer state.
For instance, there is a known technique for use in forming contact terminals, lead-out wiring and the like of an inspection apparatus for use in probing semiconductor integrated circuits in a wafer state (see Patent Reference 1 and Patent Reference 2, for example). By this method, a mold for shaping contact terminals is prepared by anisotropic etching of a silicon wafer, for example, and contact terminals, lead-out wiring and the like are formed by use of this mold, followed by removal of the silicon wafer, which has served as the mold, after the formation of the contact terminals, the lead-out wiring and the like is completed.
By another known method, electroconductive particulates are sprayed over a plurality of positions of lead-out wiring formed over an insulating film to create sharp-tipped stubs, which constitute contact terminals; the insulating film provided with these contact terminals is cased to adhered to a substrate, and the substrate is fixed to a wiring board to form a connecting device, which is then probed under a light load to obtain an inspection apparatus (see Patent Reference 3, for example).
There is another known technique in which a probe card is configured of a base material part, a wiring part and extended wiring. The wiring part, shaped as a cantilever beam, is provided with a fixing portion for fixing the wiring part to a substrate. A an intermediate portion stands out from that fixing portion, and a protrusive supporting portion, following that intermediate portion, supports probes, and the probes are placed in contact with electrodes of a semiconductor element to be inspected. This configuration gives a sufficient stroke and scribing function to the probes (see Patent Reference 4, for example).
Yet another known technique uses micromachining technology to fabricate, simply and with a high yield, connecting apparatuses that excel in height accuracy and spacing accuracy of tips and in wear-resistance and reliability thereof against frequent contact with electrodes, and, accordingly, which are capable of maintaining a satisfactory contact performance for a long period of time. A silicon dioxide film serving as a sacrificial layer is formed over a sacrificial substrate consisting of silicon, a tip structure consisting of contacts and lead-out wiring is formed over this sacrificial layer, and the sacrificial substrate is efficiently separated from the tip structure by dissolving the sacrificial layer (see Patent Reference 5, for example).
Yet another known technique provides a probe contact apparatus having low-inductance high-density contacts that can be configured for use in inspecting area array integrated circuits and which is provided with high-speed means for fabrication, alteration or repair (see Patent Reference 6, for example). This apparatus has a rigid substrate which has thermal expansion characteristics close to silicon and over which laser-patterned lead wires and flexible films having lead wires and contact pads are stacked. Precious metal contact elements protrude from the two main surfaces of the rigid substrate. The contact elements on the first surface are arranged in a mirror relationship with chip pads that are densely separated from one another, and those on the second surface are coordinated with more sparsely separated probe card pads.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 7(1995)-283280
[Patent Reference 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8(1996)-50146
[Patent Reference 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10(1998)-239348
[Patent Reference 4] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-71719
[Patent Reference 5] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-71720
[Patent Reference 6] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-90387